COLUMN | Support from Colombia, Cuba, China, Iran, or Russia for Venezuela?

One of the obvious questions that arises is whether Venezuela is alone against the United States, and if not, which country is willing to sacrifice itself for Maduro, his inner circle, and the military that supports him in power.

To answer the above, it is first necessary to clarify President Trump’s purpose regarding Venezuela. Everything indicates that it is to eliminate or neutralize that country’s capacity to export or serve as a transit point for drugs destined for the northern country. The U.S. administration is not considering invading or taking over Venezuela as some might dream.

What is needed to achieve the previously stated objective? Very simply, destroy the facilities used for that purpose, eliminate the organization dedicated to it, neutralize the capabilities of those who provide protection and support, and only if absolutely necessary, decapitate Maduro’s government and the military leadership that sustains him in power.

President Trump is not concerned with placing Corina Machado in the presidency or bringing Edmundo Gonzalez back. He is focused on cutting the flow of drugs destined for the North American market. Understanding what the United States wants allows us to answer the question posed at the beginning of this column.

The actions that need to be taken will be specifically directed at what matters. They will not be an attack on Venezuelan sovereignty and territory. They will not be directed against the people of that country and should not be fundamentally different from what was done with Iran, actions aimed at eliminating nuclear capabilities, but not intended to bring down the Iranian regime. In this case, we are talking about eliminating Venezuela’s capacity to be an exporter or transit point for drugs to the shores of North America.

If this is the case, it is estimated that China and Russia will only issue condemnations against the actions of U.S. forces, but will not go further. For both countries, Venezuela is a problem, a country that only serves them in their anti-American rhetoric, but nothing more than that. On the other hand, Cuba and Iran do not have the capacity to assist Maduro’s regime, whether because they are broke or have more urgent problems to address. Even Petro will not come to his rescue, and like China and Russia, he will take the opportunity to curse President Trump, just words and nothing more.

In conclusion, no one is going to risk themselves for the Venezuelan regime, especially if the goal is to eliminate the capacity to send drugs to the United States. Moreover, many will be pleased that, just as in the case of Iran, President Trump is addressing one of the problems we have in Latin America, one that should concern us, because by eliminating a capacity, the migratory flow that complicates and overwhelms us may also end or be reduced.